Wall paneling system



July i, 1969 w. c. HEIRICH WALL PANELING SYSTEM Sheet Original Filed Dec. 28, 1965 mvsmon WILLIAM c. HEIRICH W r z unzy ATTORNEYS M 1, 1969 w E.R,H 3,452,500

WALL PANELING SYSTEM Original Filed Dec. 2 8, 1965 Sheet g Of 2 I I r7 I v 10 Fm: &

INVENTOR WILLIAM C. HEIRICH ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,452,500 WALL PANELENG SYSTEM William C. Heirich, 2912 Wauhilah Drive, Muskogee, Okla. 74401 Original application Dec. 28, 1965, Ser. No. 516,885, now Patent No. 3,300,926, dated Jan. 31, 1967. Divided and this application Nov. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 594,869 Int. Cl. E06!) 3/54; E04b /52; E040 l/39 U.S. Cl. 52478 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Wall paneling system featuring individual panels with looking flanges enabling panel elements to be either slid together endwise or snapped in place while preventing disassembly of panels by reverse unlocking action and clip assemblies securing panel looking flanges to a supporting member permitting the assembled panel elements of the wall system to slide freely to cover a desired length.

The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 516,885, filed Dec. 28, 1965, which issued Jan. 31, 1967, as Patent No. 3,300,926.

The present invention relates generally to a wall paneling system adaptable to either new construction or the modernization of older buildings. While the present paneling system provides an excellent wall surface for new construction, it is also possible to give an older building that is structurally sound, but outdated appearance-wise, a modern exterior look.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a wall paneling system adaptable to either new construction or the modernization of older building characterized by its simplicity in construction, flexibility of use, and ease of field assembly.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a wall paneling system a plurality of interlocking panels capable of being slid together endwiseor snapped in place, as desired.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a system for adjustably positioning wall paneling elements preselected distances from building front. D

Still a further object of the present 1nvent1on is to provide a system for permitting the interlocking panel elements of wall system to slide freely along building front to stretch or compress panel elements thus eliminating the necessity of sizing terminal panel elements to precisely fit length of building front. I

Other objects will become apparent from the ensuing specification and attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating generally the mode of modernizing old building front with the use of the present wall paneling system;

FIG. 2 is a top view illustrating generally the attachment of interlocking panel elements to supporting structure on building front;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation partly in section illustrating in detail the attachment of panel elements to building Wall;

FIG. 4 is a top view illustrating suggested clip assembly for attaching panel elements to wall, as well as configuration of interlocking flanges of wall panel elements;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of clip assembly employed to attach adjacent wall panels to building front supporting structure;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the attachment of a flange of terminal panel to building wall supporting structure with the use of suggested side channel fastener, this feature not being a part of the present invention.

As seen in FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 generally designates the surface of building front to be modernized. Attached to building front 10 are T-shaped furring strips 12 to which the individual panels 14 are secured.

Extruded furring strips 12, as seen in FIG. 3, include front vertical walls 16 and 18, held in spaced relationship by U-shaped section 20, and terminate at their extremities in horizontal flanges 22 and 24 respectively. Attached near the center portion of U-shaped section 20 and extending rearwardly therefrom is horizontal member 26 which terminates in rear vertical wall 28 having horizontal flanges 30 and 32 which are secuerd to the building front 10 with the use of either bracket assembly 34 or 36, as described in detail hereinafter.

Bracket assembly 34 illustrated in the top portion of FIG. 3, has a top horizontal flange 38 which rests in abutting relationship against the underside of horizontal member 26 of furring strip 12 and is secured thereto by bolt assembly 40. Bracket assembly 34 also includes a lower vertical flange 42, which rests in abutting relationship against building wall 10 and is attached thereto with screw 44.

As seen in the lower portion of FIG. 3, adjustable bracket assembly 36 consists of an upper brace 46 attached to building wall 10 with screw 48, a center member 50 provided with slotted portion extending lengthwise (not shown) terminating in angular end section 52 attached to horizontal member 26 of furring strip 12 with bolt assembly 54, and a lower brace 56 attached to building Wall 10 with screw 58 and also being provided with lengthwise slotted portion (not shown). Thus, as bolt assemblies 60 and 62, which pass through the slotted portions referred to above, are unloosened, the end portion 52 of member 50 may be extended inwardly or outwardly from building wall 10, as desired, thus permitting furring strip 12 to be positioned predetermined distances from building wall 10.

Panel elements 14 may be attached directly to furring strip 12, as seen in the upper portion of FIG. 3, with the use of self-tapping screw 64 which is positioned within U-shaped section 20 of furring strip 12 Alternatively, and as illustrated in the lower portion of FIG. 3, panel elements 14 may be attached to furring strips 12 with the use of clip assemblies shown in detail in FIG. 5.

Clip assemblies 70 each consist of a backplate 72 terminating on one side thereof in curvilinear arm 74 which is generally complementarily configured to rest in abutting relationship against one side of interlocking flange 76 of panel element 14 (FIG. 4). At the top of backplate 72 is located upper horizontally disposed flange 78 having turned-down portion 80 designed to encompass horizontal flange 22 of furring strip 12 (FIG. 3). At the bottom thereof, backplate 72 terminates in lower horizontally disposed flange 82 which rests in abutting relationship against horizontal flange 24 of furring strip 12 (FIG. 3). Near the middle of backplate 72 is located opening 84 through which a self-tapping bolt may be inserted for providing additional support in securing panel elements 14 to the U-shaped sections 20 of furring strips 12. On the other side of backplate 72 is located tapered, overlying flange 86, generally U-shaped in cross-section. Within overlying flange 86 is located wedge element 88 consisting of a first flat section 90, inserted within overlying flange 86 in sliding relationship therewith, and a second section 92 designed to engage the other half of interlocking flange 76 of panel element 14, as seen in FIG. 4. In addition, the edge of wedge section 88 may contain serrations 94 capable of gripping the surface of interlocking flange 76 more tightly.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the top portions of panel elements 14 are enclosed within top cap 91 which includes channel 93 within which is inserted flashing 95 for mounting against building wall 10, or covering the top of the wall to the top of paneling 14, whichever is necessary or desirable. Similarly, bottom cap 96 encompasses the bottom portions of panel elements 14 and is provided with channel 98 into which is inserted lower flashing 160.

A illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, side caps 110 and 112 are attached by any conventional means, such as a rivet 130, directly to furring strips 12, After interlocking flange 76 of terminal panel 14 is inserted within side cap 110, side channel fastener 116 is slid in place downwardly wilhin side cap 110. As seen in FIG. 2, each panel element 14 consists of a first generally overlying flange 76 and a second flange 77 configured to rest within overlying flange 76 of adjacent panel 14'. When inserting side channel fastener 116 within overlying flange 76 (FIG. 6), the single leg 114 tightly secures terminal flange 76 to cap 110. In reverse manner, as seen in FIG. 2, double legs 115 secure flange 77 of other terminal panel 14 within cap 112.

Each of the panel elements 14, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, consists of arched or curved side portions 15 and trough-like bottom portions 17. Side portions 15 terminate in locking flanges 76 and 77 as previously described. As the distance between the innermost portions of overlying flange 76 is smaller than the width of top of flange 77, a snap-lock is created. Thus, by pushing inner flange 77 against outer flange 76 in the direction indicated by arrow in FIG. 4, adjacent panels 14 and 14 may be snapped in place. Alternatively, the panels may be slid together endwise. In either case, once adjacent panels 14 and 14 are locked, it is impossible for adjacent locking flanges 76 and 77 to unlock by reverse action.

Now, the advantages of the present wall paneling system will be discussed. As previously indicated, each panel element 14 is designed with interlocking flanges 76 and 77 permitting adjacent panels 14, 14 to be attached together either by snapping in place or sliding together lengthwise. Thus, field installation is simplified and the structural integrity of assembled wall insured. Although the inner flange 77 of panel 14 may be simply snapped in place within overlying flange 76 of panel element 14, the locking action is not reversible.

In addition, use of clip assemblies 70 permits panels 14, 14 to be slid along furring strips 12. In this manner, it is no longer necessary to cut one or both terminal panels to precisely fit the length of building wall 10 to be covered since each of the panels 14 can be compressed or stretched through their curved side portions 15, as desired. Thus, the terminal panel(s) can be properly aligned at ends of building wall 10 and intermediate panels slid along furring strips 12 as individual panels are stretched or compressed.

Ease in field assembly and economy of construction is further provided for with the use of side caps 110 and 112 in conjunction with side channel fasteners 116. As fasteners 116 are capable of securing either of locking flanges 76 and 77 of panel elements 14, simply by reversing position of fastener 116, the problem of providing separate fasteners for different terminal locking flanges is avoided.

Top and bottom caps 91 and 96, in addition to adding structural integrity to the paneling system as a whole, provide simplified basis for attaching finishing flashing 95 and 100, as desired.

Finally, adjustable bracket assembly 36 enables precise positioning of panel elements 14 from building front 10. Frequently, the building wall to be modernized will include offset portions, such as illustrated generally in FIG. 3, requiring panel supporting structure capable of spaning varying distances. Bracket assembly 36 permits such variation with a single uniform structure eliminating time consuming innovation.

With the construction techniques outlined above, low cost of manufacture and flexibility of field installation is achieved in a manner unknown to the prior art. Manifestly, variations in construction and design of component parts may be employed without departing from the spirit of invention as defined by the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. A paneling system, comprising:

(A) a plurality of panel elements having arched side portions and interconnecting intermediate portions, said side portions terminating in adjacent interlocking flanges permitting said panel element to be assembled as a wall terminating at each end thereof in end panels;

(B) supporting structure positioned adjacent said interlocking flanges and including spaced upper and lower flat surfaces running along said wall; and

(C) fastening means securing said interlocking flanges of said panel elements to said supporting structure, said fastening means including a plurality of clip assemblies slidably mounted upon said supporting structure such that the length covered by said panels can be varied to precisely fit the length of the building front as the arched side portions of said panel elements flex inwardly or outwardly when the assembled panel elements and clip assemblies are slid along said supporting structure, said clip assemblies including first and second surfaces abutting said upper and lower flat surfaces of said supporting structure, respectively, said first surface of said clip assembly terminating in a flange encompassing said upper flat surface of said supporting structure resisting outward movement of said clip assembly from said supporting structure.

2. A paneling system as in claim 1, wherein one of said locking flanges of the adjacent panels overlies the other of said flanges and has at least one inwardly converging side portion which together with the remainder of said one of said locking flanges defines and opening while the other of said flanges has a top portion longer than the length of said opening for engagement within and between said one of said flanges, said panel elements being constructed of flexible material permitting said adjacent panels to be snapped in place while preventing said panels from unlocking by reverse action.

3. A paneling system as in claim 2, wherein said remainder of said one of said locking flanges includes an inwardly converging side portion opposite said at least one inwardly converging side portion.

4. A paneling system as in claim 3, wherein said top portion of said other of said flanges is generally straight.

5. A paneling system as in claim 4, wherein said panel elements are vertical and said supporting structure is horizontal.

6. A paneling system as in claim 5, including a building front and means attached to said building front positioning said supporting structure a predetermined distance from said building front.

7. A paneling system for covering a building front, comprising:

(A) a plurality of generally vertical panel elements having arched side portions and interconnecting intermediate portions, said side portions terminating in adjacent interlocking flanges permitting said panel elements to be assembled as a wall, said adjacent interlocking flanges including a first flange fitted within a second flange which overlies the entirety of said first flange, said second overlying flange including converging side portions;

(B) supporting structure positioned generally horizontally adjacent said interlocking flanges;

(C) means positioning said supporting structure a predetermined distance from said building front; and

(D) a plurality of clip assemblies provided with means slidably mounting same upon said supporting structure, each of said clip assemblies including first and second arms engaging said converging side portions of said second overlying flange of each of said interof said second overlying flange of each of said adjacent interlocking flanges such that the length covered by said panels can be varied to precisely fit the length of the building front as the arched side por- 5 tions of said panel elements flex inwardly or outwardly when the assembled panel elements and clip assemblies are slid along said supporting structure.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Loucks 52-520 X Mahon 52-520 Manske 52-478 X Toti 52-588 X Toler 52-495 Heirich 52-478 Waizenhofer 52-489 JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

